The Peine production location is the administrative centre of the Peine rural district right off the A2 motorway between Braunschweig and Hanover. The town of Peine was founded in the 13th century around the former Peine Castle and is now the centre of Peine rural district, which has around 50,000 inhabitants. The medieval town centre with its lovingly restored half-timbered architecture is surrounded by modern residential areas. Peine offers a wide range of cultural and social events. The state capital, Hanover, and the city of Braunschweig, with their many different cultural offerings are less than 30 minutes away. The largest production company in the town is the Salzgitter AG steelworks. Peine is also home to many SMEs, such as Peiner Umformtechnik.